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| Activists in Georgia demanded the detention of Nata Peradze |
| 2024-01-15 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [KavkazUzel] Members of the Georgian movement "Alt-Info" called for the detention of Nata Peradze, who published a video of the icon of St. Matrona with the image of Stalin doused in paint, and to reclassify the case from an administrative article to a criminal one. As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, on January 13, members and supporters of the pro-Russian "Conservative Movement" ("Alt-Info") held a rally near the Georgian parliament building demanding tougher punishment "for the desecration of shrines." Activists explained the protests by the fact that the icon of the Matrona of Moscow depicting Joseph Stalin was doused with paint. Members of Alt-Info also demanded that Nata Peradze be punished. Nata Peradze, who on January 9 published a video of an icon of Stalin being splashed with paint, had previously complained of threats. On January 10, supporters of the Alt-Info movement came to Peradze’s house; the police did not allow them to approach the building. Members of Alt-Info demanded that the Georgian authorities detain Nata Peradze for ten days. Also, after the protest action held on January 13, the leaders of the movement filed a statement with the police demanding that the administrative case be reclassified as petty hooliganism, Novosti-Georgia reports. Activists demanded that the incident be investigated under a criminal article on illegal obstruction of religious ceremonies through violence, threats or insulting the feelings of believers. This article provides for up to a year in prison, the publication writes. “Starting an investigation into an article about petty hooliganism is stupid... We hope that the article will be reclassified... If Peradze is not detained, very big problems will begin in the country,” the publication quoted Alt-Info leader Koka Margoshia as saying. Activists believe that it was Nata Peradze who doused the icon with paint, TASS reports. Let us remind you that unknown people in the Tbilisi Cathedral poured paint on an icon donated by the Alliance of Georgian Patriots party, a video about this was published by Nata Peradze. On January 11, the Patriarchate of Georgia stated that Stalin’s meeting with the Holy Matrona, who is depicted in the icon, has not been confirmed, and called for changes to be made to the drawing. On January 12, priest John Mchedlishvili apologized for not informing the Patriarchate about the placement of the icon, and the leaders of the Alliance of Georgian Patriots promised that the icon would be rewritten right in the church. The attitude towards Joseph Stalin in Georgian society is quite contradictory, but his depiction on the icon does not mean praise, lawyer Gela Nikolaishvili told the Caucasian Knot. The Alliance of Patriots, which donated the icon to the temple, did not focus on the figure of Stalin in its activities, noted political scientist Zaal Andzhaparidze. The “Alliance of Patriots” serves the interests of Russia, where Stalin’s popularity is great, political scientist Nika Chitadze objected. |
| Posted by:badanov |